A Succession of a Monarch had taken place at noon of Saturday, 31 May 2025. The second episcopal succession of a Catholic head of state in the Marian month. But the most noteworthy thing here is that This succession of a Sovereign was determined by another Sovereign (whose Apostolic succession had been in the headlines)! Yes, you heard right! It was HH Pope Leo XIV who accepted the Resignation of The Bishop of Urgell, prompting an automatic succession by his Coadjutor (assistant). Let alone that this Catholic leader is the world's only Bishop, reigning over a Sovereign State (apart from The Pope). He is a Co-Prince of Andorra, a Pyreneean microstate, headed jointly by him and The French President. While the latter holds the title out of pure symbolism, it is The Bishop-Prince who is more directly connected to the Catalan-speaking, Catholic-majority nation, part of his Diocese. And in accordance to the 'Magna Carta', a 1993 document, bringing to modern relevance the feudal pact established between two co-princes in 1278, the new Episcopal head of state took his Constitutional Oath on June 26, 2025, formalizing his position as the world's newest Monarch, at the General Council Hall of Andorra, featuring the portraits of him and his French counterpart.
Let us begin with the Succession itself. It was announced on Saturday, May 31 (2025) that Pope Leo XIV had formally accepted the resignation of The Bishop of Urgell, according to canon 401.1 of the Code of Canon Law. Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicilia was required to submitt his resignation from ministry after his 75th Birthday - a commonplace retirement age for Catholic pastors - on July 24, 2024. Shortly before his milestone, on July 12, Pope Francis named then bishop-elect Josep-Lluís Serrano i Pentinat as coadjutor Bishop of Urgell, and his episcopal Ordination took place on September 21 (2024), presided over by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra (the second most senior in Vatican's Secretariat of State). Hence Serrano had the full right to succeed Vives, who welcomed him to "work in communion" on matters of service to the diocese & the Principality, as he had done with his predecessor upon his own appoinement in 2001. Bishop Josep-Lluís Serrano, who turned 48 on March 19, 2025, was expected to succeed Archbishop Vives somewhat in October 2024, however the proceedings were delayed, and eventually finalized after the Apostolic Succession in The Holy See. According to canon 409.1 of The Code of The Canon Law, Bishop Serrano became automatically Bishop of Urgell from the moment the resignation of his predecessor was made public, and (subsequently) Co-Prince of Andorra, according to the article 43.2 of The Principality's Constitution. Archbishop Mons. Joan-Enric Vives became Bishop-Emeritus and former (Co-)Prince of Andorra in Accordance with Law 12/2022 on Protocol and Ceremonials.
The Episcopal Succession was finalized in one day (and marked by a joined Press Conference and exchange of The Bishop's insignia after a mass, beginning an Eucharistic celebration, in Andorra). However, the formal investiture was only to follow later in the past month, at The Andorra's General Council of The Valleys. According to the Constitution Established in 1993, the Co-Princes of Andorra are "the symbol and guarantee" of its permanence and continuity... as well as... independence and... the traditional balanced relations with the neighboring countries". While both Princes are represented by a senior official in most of their domestic duties, it is The Bishop-Prince who is inevitably more connected to the tiny nation (landlocked between Spain & France), 92% of which people are subjected to his Catholic Diocese (based in the Catalan town La Seu d'Urgell). He receives Credentials from foreign Ambassadors in person, hosts state visits in Andorra, represents the country in official events. Thus it was definite that The Bishop of Urgell had to take his Constitutional Oath of Office inside the New Parliament Building (next to the former Casa de la Val) in capital Andorra la Vella, in Catalan (Andorra's Official language) and receive a full set of state honors, which his French counterpart is only entitled in his Republic. Initially it was the Count of Foix who signed a pact with The Bishop of Urgell to co-rule the feudal territory in 1278, whose rights later passed down to The Kings of Navarre, who merged with The French Crown in 1607. Andorra was thus co-ruled by a French Monarch until a brief annexation of Catalonia by Napoleon I (1812-13) and then ex-officio by any French Head of State. It was only in 1993, though when it was defined as a Sovereign Parliamentary democracy, retaining its unique diarchic heads of state. Both their portraits hang in The Parliament Hall during the swearing in.
The Constitutional Oath of Bishop Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat as Co-Prince of Andorra took place on Thursday, 26 June 2025. The Episcopal Co-Prince arrived at Plaça Princep Benlloch shortly before 11am and proceeded through the streets greeting gathered people & schoolchildren holding flags. He was formally welcomed at the doors of Casa de la Vall compound by the General Syndic (speaker) of Andorra's General Council (parliament) Carles Ensenyat Reig. They jointly entered the New Parliament Building with a Corridor of Honor of 15 representatives from Andorra's 7 parishes formed up the stairs. Further down the corridor, seven deseners and seven captains lined each side wearing a beretina (the former red, the latter purple) and holding a sash. It was shortly after 11:00am when an official photo was taken in front of the door of Casa de la Vall (currently closed due to reconstruction). Afterwards The Co-Prince entered the new headquarters of The General Council, to sign the guest book, opened by Emmanuel Macron in 2019 and signed by all visiting authorities ever since, recording his own, prepared remarks. It was followed by Bishop Serrano greeting every member of The General Council of Andorra, ahead of a plenary session at 12:00' noon, during which the formal Oath Taking ceremony was held. Both the Representatives of The Episcopal and French Co-Princes, as well as Xavier Espot, The Head of The Government of Andorra, were in attendance. It began with remarks by The General Syndic, who highlighted "stability" and "continuity" as Andorra's "unquestionable values". Ensenyat mentioned several exemplary predecessors of The Bishop-Prince and wished Serrano "every success" as a symbol and guarantee of the permanence, continuity and independence of Andorra. Then the time of the oath had come.
Co-Prince Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat swore in to faithfully exercise his functions, in front of an original copy of 'Magna Carta', signed by Co-Princes François Mitterand & Joan Martí Alanis in 1993. He then received and kissed the medal of The Co-Prince, which was followed by an extended applause and by The National Anthem of Andorra. The speaker then gave the floor to the newly-inaugurated Head of State. In his eight-pages inaugural speech, Bishop Serrano commited to the rules of a "modern, plural and non-denominational state" while referring to The Second Vatican Council as a principle of "positive secularism", drawing new horizons of dialogue & improving legal systems. He began by appealing to the legacy of the Bishops of Urgell, heads of the diocese since the 6th century and in charge of The Principality since the 12th century. Serrano focused on the duality of the religious-spiritual authority and a sovereign State of Law, within the framework of a constitutional identity, bridging the civil & ecclesiastical public law. He mentioned the principles of "healthy collaboration" between the Diocese and State as opening new horizons for dialogue to 'mutually enrich the legal system', not excluding evangelization. The co-prince emphasised that this concept (of 'positive secularism') "does not supress the religious fact in public life", but rather intergrates it into an institutional framework of respect and positive neutrality. He concluded by commiting to an economy that "serves the dignity of human person", prioritizing the most vulnerable, and is "called to educate in love and respect" as "a basic cell of our society". The ceremony, which lasted over half-an-hour was followed by The Episcopal Co-Prince receiving a tribute by a guard of honor at the exit of The General Council and observing a 21-gun-salute and a flag-raising ceremony in front of la Casa de la Vall. He greeted gathered people one by one, and posed for a final photo with the authorities before departing.
Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat received later the same day an Andorran passport by Xavier Espot, alongside a diplomatic booklet, that accredits him the function of the Head of State of Andorra. Thus within 12 months, Serrano, who had been Councelor of The Nunciature in the Section of General Affairs of The Secretariat of State (Holy See), became one of the world's 30 Sovereign Monarchs. After earning his licenciate in Canon Law and doctorate in Dogmatic Theology, the Catalan pastor, born in Tivissa, served as Secretary in different Nunciatures (Mozambique 2012-16, Nicaragua 2016-17, & Brazil 2017-19) having excelled his diplomatic skills, apart from the religious, serving as priest of Tortosa from 2002. His position of 'positive secularism' was welcomed by many Andorran Councilors, hoping for a possible decriminalization of abortion - a subject of past tensions - in near future, His predecessor, Joan-Enric Vives Sicilia, would not sign such an act had it passed, with Pope Francis clarifying back in 2018 that the approval of any legalization would force the Bishop-Prince to abdicate. Vives Sicilia from Barcelona, a priest since 1974 & bishop (titular of Nona and Auxiliary of Barcelona) since 1993 became coadjutor Bishop of Urgell on 25 June 2001 and succeeded Archbishop Joan Martí Alanis upon his resignation from The Diocese on 12 May 2003. He was sworn in as Co-Prince of Andorra on 10 July 2003, and received the personal title of Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. There has been speculation that after Joan-Enric Vives's resignation The Vatican would create a separate Diocese of Andorra, abolishing the centuries-long feudal connection with The Diocese of Urgell. The appointment, however, of Josep-Lluís Serrano (the youngest Bishop in Spain) as coadjutor last year, and his eventual succession as Bishop & Co-Prince last month - with the ministries of Bishop-Emeritus and the new head of The Diocese celebrated on June 14 in a Thanksgiving Service at Seu d'Urgell Cathedral - have preserved the unique tradition of the world's only sovereign diarchy for one more generation.
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Sources:
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